Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977

From: Twistspore Lashcap 947

Description: A handheld war-drum made from hardened chitin stretched with fungal fiber cured in Lashcap smoke. The surface glows faintly purple when struck.

Effect (Positive): Beating the drum sends out psychic pulses that cause enemies to falter, flinch, or even collapse, believing they’ve been struck by unseen whips.

Effect (Negative): The rhythm seeps into the drummer’s soul. If played too often, they lose sleep, plagued by dreams of endless marching and unseen lashes.

Crafting Note: Used by cruel war-bands to rout foes without spilling blood, instilling terror before battle ever began.


Appearance

A round, hand-held war-drum fashioned from a single slab of hardened chitin, etched with shallow runes that spiral inward. The striking surface is taut fungal fiber, smoke-cured over burning Lashcap caps until it hardened into a strange, leathery shimmer. When struck, the drum glows faintly purple in ripples, like bruises blooming across the surface. The grip is wrapped in sinew, and faint spore-dust lingers on its edges, leaving a bitter scent in the air.

Slot: Held Item (Musical Instrument / Focus)


Tier One Stats

  • Durability: 20 HP (counts as Medium object if targeted).
  • Weight: 6 lbs.
  • Base Value: 60 Gold Pieces in war-band camps; up to 3 Platinum in forbidden relic markets.
  • Activation: Requires one hand to hold, the other to strike. One beat creates a psychic ripple, continuous drumming sustains effects.
  • Cooldown: After 10 minutes of continuous play, the drum grows dangerously hot to touch; must be cooled for 1 hour.
  • Tier Restriction: Usable at Tier 1, but prolonged use causes psychic feedback more quickly.

Temporary Skills Gained (Tier 1)

  • Martial Rhythm: Gain a temporary +1 bonus (or advantage on rolls) to Intimidation when drumming within sight of enemies.
  • Disruption Beat: Once per short encounter, the user may disrupt enemy focus, granting allies advantage (or +2 bonus) on their next action.

Passive Magics

Positive:

  • Aura of Unease: When carried, faint background hum unnerves hostile creatures within 10 feet, imposing –1 penalty to their morale or concentration checks.
  • Pulse of Command: Friendly allies instinctively follow the rhythm, granting a subtle +1 bonus to group coordination rolls (marching, maneuvers, or synchronized actions).

Negative:

  • Whisper of the Lash: Each time the drum is used in combat, the wielder must Save vs. Willpower (DC 11). Failure causes mild disorientation (disadvantage or –1 penalty) on Wisdom-based checks until they rest.
  • Sleepless Cadence: If the drum is used more than once per day, the wielder suffers disadvantage (or –2 penalty) on next-day fatigue or concentration checks from lash-dreams.

Active Magics

Positive:

  • Psychic Strike (2/day): Strike the drum once as an action. All enemies within 15 feet must Save vs. Willpower (DC 13) or take 1d4 psychic damage and flinch, losing their reaction until the start of their next turn.
  • Echo of Fear (1/day): A steady rhythm forces all enemies within 30 feet to Save vs. Willpower (DC 12). On failure, they become frightened for 1d4 rounds, believing unseen lashes tear at them.
  • March of Authority (1/day): By drumming for 1 minute, allies within 30 feet gain temporary morale, adding +1 to attack rolls or saving throws until the drumming stops.

Negative:

  • Dream March: If three or more active powers are used in one day, the wielder gains one level of fatigue (or –1 penalty to all rolls) until they sleep.
  • Resonant Backlash: On a natural failure when activating an ability, the drum’s psychic pulse rebounds, forcing the wielder to Save vs. Willpower (DC 12) or take 1d4 psychic damage and become shaken for 1 round.

Tags

Tier 1, Instrument, Fungi, Psychic, Fear, Domination, Exhaustion, March, Illusion, Sound, Resonance, War, Forbidden, Sleep, Terror, Intimidation, Oppression, Ritual, Nightmare, Enslavement, Haunted, Battle-Cry, Control, Dread, Subjugation, Cursed Relic


Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977 is not a common merchant’s stock piece. Its association with fear, war-bands, and psychic domination makes it a tool of cruelty, and therefore it circulates in specialized and shadowy markets rather than open stalls.


Shops and Sellers

  1. War-Band Quartermasters
    • Within roaming mercenary or marauder companies, quartermasters trade in such drums as part of their arsenal of intimidation. They are handed down like heirlooms, often with bloodstained lineage.
    • Cost: 60–80 Gold Pieces, usually part of a larger trade of arms or war-spoils.
  2. Cult Reliquary Houses
    • Dark cults that worship domination, terror, or gods of cruelty sanctify these drums, selling them as relics in hidden shrines. Buyers are tested, sometimes forced to play a beat in ritual before the transaction completes.
    • Cost: 1 Platinum per drum, with added rituals to “bind” it to the buyer.
  3. Blacksmith-Musicians’ Guilds
    • In rare cases, artisan-smiths with knowledge of both chitin and fungal curing will forge these for collectors or underground war-lords. They sell through intermediaries, keeping their names hidden to avoid prosecution.
    • Cost: 2–3 Platinum, as a custom commission.
  4. Shadow Auctions in Port Cities
    • Auction houses beneath taverns and warehouses will sometimes feature the drum as centerpiece items, often accompanied by tales of massacres where it was played.
    • Cost: 2 Platinum to 10 Platinum, depending on bidding wars and notoriety of provenance.
  5. Slaver Markets
    • The drum may appear among tools of psychological warfare used to break captives. Sold discreetly alongside shackles and other suppression relics.
    • Cost: 1 Platinum, or part of a “lot” bundled with restraints and other control gear.

How It Is Sold

  • Rarely displayed openly: often wrapped in cloth to muffle its faint hum.
  • Many sellers require a demonstration—buyers must beat the drum to prove they can withstand its psychic feedback.
  • Transactions are often tied to loyalty oaths; war-bands and cults do not want such instruments wielded against them.
  • The cost can include non-monetary exchange such as military service, sworn fealty, or delivery of rare Lashcap fungi needed to repair or recharge the drum’s fibers.

Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977 might be roleplayed in different environments for both defense and offense within Saṃsāra. The emphasis lies in its psychological, psychic, and ritual weight, more than raw damage.


In Battlefields or War Camps

  • Offense: The drummer beats a rising cadence before a charge, sending psychic lashes across enemy lines. Opponents falter, some dropping weapons as unseen whips tear across their backs. Enemy morale crumbles before blades cross.
  • Defense: A sudden booming rhythm turns chaos into order. Allies rally to the beat, regaining courage, while foes hesitate to close, unnerved by the oppressive sound.

Inside Cities or Narrow Streets

  • Offense: The drum’s psychic pulses ricochet through stone walls, amplifying fear in clustered foes. Thugs or city guards collapse, convinced they are being beaten by invisible hands.
  • Defense: When cornered in an alley, steady drumming pushes attackers back with dread, buying time for escape as they recoil from the unseen force.

In Taverns, Courts, or Social Halls

  • Offense: A single strike silences the room, every ear ringing with phantom lashes. Rivals at negotiation tables buckle, believing punishment hangs over them.
  • Defense: During attempted intimidation or assassination, the beat forces hesitation. Would-be aggressors flinch, hands freezing on blades as if struck, giving the wielder’s allies room to act.

In Dark Forests or Jungles

  • Offense: Predators and raiders scatter as the drum mimics the psychic sensation of whips cracking from all directions. Even beasts pause, sensing unnatural pain.
  • Defense: If stalked, the drum’s rhythm forces attackers into confusion, tricking them into believing an army is hidden in the undergrowth.

In Caves or Underground

  • Offense: The drum echoes in confined spaces, amplifying psychic pulses with physical resonance. Enemies stagger, clutching heads as echoes blur into the sensation of countless lashes.
  • Defense: When pursued through tunnels, striking the drum can cause foes to believe collapsing walls or phantom blows are upon them, slowing pursuit and granting escape.

On the Sea or Coastal Cliffs

  • Offense: War-bands strike the drum across decks, projecting terror into boarding foes who lose footing as phantom strikes lash across them.
  • Defense: In narrow sea caves or on cliffside paths, the drum’s booming rhythm disrupts enemy coordination, buying time to retreat or counterattack.

In Cult Rituals or Temples

  • Offense: Cult leaders play the drum in processions, sending surges of terror into crowds to enforce obedience. Outsiders collapse in fear, unable to resist the unseen torment.
  • Defense: When threatened in their sanctums, cultists beat the drum in unison, amplifying its psychic power to create a shield of dread, forcing even brave attackers to falter.

Roleplay Note:
Using the Carapace Drum always blends physical sound with psychic impact. In offense, it manifests as lashes that rout and terrify enemies. In defense, it enforces hesitation, creating gaps for survival, escape, or regrouping. The risk is that prolonged drumming infects the wielder’s dreams, making them haunted by endless marching and phantom punishment even when no enemy stands before them.

Perception of Activation:


User’s Perspective

  • Sight: Each strike on the drum skin causes purple ripples to spread like water disturbed by stone, glowing briefly before sinking back into the surface. Peripheral vision darkens, as if shadows lean inward to listen.
  • Hearing: The beat is more than sound; it resonates inside the skull, echoing like countless whips cracking in unison. The rhythm seems to continue even when the drum is still, like phantom cadence behind the ears.
  • Touch: The grip pulses faintly in rhythm with the heartbeat, sending vibrations through the bones of the arm. The skin of the drum feels unnaturally warm, as though alive.
  • Smell: A sharp tang of scorched fungi and bitter smoke lingers with every beat, clinging to the nose and throat.
  • Taste: The mouth fills with a coppery tang, as if iron or blood were being chewed.
  • Extra-Sensory: Whispers of unseen lashes and marching feet thread into the mind, carrying the weight of countless broken wills. The user feels both commander and captive, compelled to keep drumming even when silence is needed.

Positives: Empowering sense of control, strong projection of authority, and the certainty that enemies are faltering under psychic blows.
Negatives: Lingering echo in the mind causes distraction, compulsion, and eventual loss of restful sleep.


Observer’s Perspective

  • Sight: With each strike, purple ripples spread across the drum skin and faint arcs of light radiate outward, like invisible shockwaves. Nearby shadows quiver as if struck by unseen force.
  • Hearing: The sound penetrates deeper than ears—observers feel it reverberate in the chest and bones, like lashes cracking against the soul.
  • Touch: Air pressure seems to shift with each beat, making skin crawl and hair rise as if storm electricity filled the space.
  • Smell: An acrid, fungal odor wafts outward, reminiscent of burnt moss or damp caverns after fire.
  • Extra-Sensory: Foes experience phantom blows—stripes of pain across their backs, the sensation of being struck though untouched. Allies sense the temptation to march in step, as if their feet want to follow the cadence.

Positives: Forces hesitation, disrupts concentration, sows terror before conflict begins.
Negatives: Allies too close for too long may feel unsettled, swayed by the drum’s compulsion to march, or plagued by unsettling dreams after exposure.


Recipe of the Marching Bruise: Forging the Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977


Materials Needed

  • Chitin Carapace (1 large plate): Harvested from a slain insectoid beast or crustacean of considerable size. The carapace must be intact and smoke-hardened.
  • Lashcap Fibers (3 bundles): Drawn from the stalks of mature Lashcap fungi, cured in smoke until pliant, then woven into cords.
  • Lashcap Spores (1 vial): Collected at night when the fungi pulse faint violet; used for etching runes into the chitin.
  • Sinew Straps (2 lengths): Taken from a beast of strength; used for binding grip and tension lines.
  • Ash Resin: A sticky mixture of tree resin and powdered Lashcap caps, for sealing seams and amplifying resonance.
  • Ritual Coal (1 handful): Burned during the curing phase to channel psychic resonance into the drum skin.

Tools Required

  • Chisel and carving knife (preferably obsidian or bone-tipped).
  • Smoker’s kiln for fiber curing.
  • Pestle and mortar for grinding spores and resin.
  • War-drum frame mold to shape the carapace into a resonant cavity.
  • Ritual brazier for burning Lashcap smoke.

Skill Requirements

  • Chitin Shaping: Ability to work hardened insectoid shell without shattering it.
  • Mycological Knowledge: Expertise in Lashcap harvesting cycles, spore activation, and safe handling.
  • Ritual Crafting: Familiarity with inscribing runes that bind psychic resonance into an object.
  • Musical Sense: The crafter must be able to produce a steady martial rhythm; the drum only awakens when struck correctly during the final rite.

Crafting Steps

  1. Prepare the Carapace: Clean and cure the chitin plate over low heat for three nights, brushing it with ash resin daily until rigid but resonant.
  2. Stretch the Lashcap Fibers: Smoke the fungal fibers over burning Lashcap caps. When supple, weave them into a membrane. Stretch tightly across the carved opening of the carapace, binding with sinew straps.
  3. Etch Runes: Mix Lashcap spores with resin. Use the chisel to carve spiraling grooves into the drum’s surface, then rub the spore-resin mixture into the cuts until they glow faintly violet.
  4. Seal and Bind: Wrap the grip with sinew straps, sealing knots with ash resin. The handle should hum faintly when tapped.
  5. Ritual Infusion: Place the drum in a circle of ritual coal. Burn the coal with Lashcap smoke while the crafter beats a martial rhythm for one hour. At the climax, the drum should glow purple with each strike.
  6. Testing: Strike the drum once in silence. If shadows nearby quiver and a faint psychic pulse is felt in the chest, the crafting has succeeded. If not, repeat the infusion step until resonance is achieved.

Drum That Walked in Shadow

In the elder days, when war was not waged with sword alone but with fear that walked before the blade, there is told the tale of a drum made from shell and smoke. Men called it by many names, yet the words are broken through ages—Carapace Drum of the Lashcap, some say, though in older tongues it was known as the “March of Bruises.”

The tale begins with a war-chief whose army was too small to claim victory, yet he sought dominion over valleys rich in grain. He bade his shamans brew fibers of the Lashcap fungi, and they stretched them over the shell of a beast slain in caverns where no light fell. They fed the hide with smoke until it glowed, and carved spirals upon its surface with spore-ash, whispering songs of cruelty into each line. Thus the drum was born, and with it, the march of unseen whips.

When struck, the drum gave not only sound, but lashes of air, unseen, yet felt by those who heard. Enemies clutched their backs as if beaten, stumbled, and fled. No blade was needed; whole villages surrendered before the war-chief’s men lifted steel. So the army swelled, for each battle won without blood drew more to his banner.

But as the story tells, the chief’s nights grew troubled. He closed his eyes and heard the beat still, even in silence. He dreamt of endless marching on barren roads, unseen lashes striking his own shoulders. He awoke sweating, yet compelled to strike the drum again. His soul became bound to the rhythm, as though he were both master and slave.

One day, as the story says, he beat the drum to rout a mighty foe. The purple glow rippled across the battlefield, and the foe’s line broke. Yet the chief fell to his knees, for the lashes now struck him alone. His men found him trembling, his back marked though no whip had touched him, and when they pried the drum from his hands, he whispered, “I march still,” until his voice broke into silence. The army, robbed of its dread instrument, scattered like dust.

Fragments carved on ruined stones say the drum passed from tyrant to tyrant, each who played it gaining victory without war, and each who played it losing themselves to the dream of lashes. Some claim it still sounds in caverns where shadows quiver, beating though no hand strikes it. Others say its rhythm seeps into the bones of those who listen too long, binding them to march forever in their sleep.

Moral of the Story: That which commands others through fear will one day command its master, for no hand may strike the drum without hearing its beat within their own soul.

Suggested conversions to other systems:


Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Type: Arcane Instrument (chitin and fungal fiber)
Activation: Striking the surface in rhythm

Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse: Each beat releases a wave of psychic force. All enemies within 10 yards must succeed on a POW roll or be stunned for 1 round, believing themselves struck by invisible lashes.
  • Echo of Fear (1/session): A prolonged rhythm forces all hostile targets in earshot to attempt a POW vs. POW contest with the drummer. Those who fail flee or collapse in terror for 1D6 rounds.
  • Morale Boost: Allies within range gain a bonus die to SAN checks against fear while the drum is beaten.

Drawbacks:

  • Frequent use causes the drummer to lose 1D3 Magic Points after each session of drumming.
  • After three uses in one day, the wielder must roll POW. Failure inflicts 1D4 SAN loss as lash-dreams haunt their mind.

Blades in the Dark

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Category: Arcane Item (2 load, Rare)

Benefits:

  • Pulse of Terror: When played, you gain potency on actions to intimidate, terrify, or break enemy morale. This can justify improved position on Command rolls.
  • Disruption Beat: Once per score, spend 2 stress to cause a wave of psychic lashes. A small group of enemies is temporarily routed, giving you and allies an opening.
  • Marching Rhythm: Allies who hear the drum gain +1 effect on rolls related to coordinated group actions.

Drawbacks:

  • Haunted Dreams: At the end of any score where the drum was used, take 1 stress or mark Level 1 Harm: “Sleepless.”
  • Entanglement Flag: Possession of the drum adds +1 Heat after a score, as whispers of its use spread through cult and war-band networks.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Wondrous Item, rare, requires attunement by a Bard, Cleric, or Warlock

Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse (2/day): As an action, strike the drum. Each hostile creature within 15 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or take 2d4 psychic damage and lose its reaction until the start of its next turn.
  • Echo of Fear (1/day): Beat the drum for 1 round. All enemies within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. Targets may repeat the save at the end of each of their turns.
  • March of Authority: While drumming, allies within 30 feet gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

Curse/Drawbacks:

  • If the drum is used more than three times in a day, the user must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or suffer 1 level of exhaustion as lash-dreams torment them.
  • Each failed save also causes the user to take 1d4 psychic damage.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Type: Wondrous Relic (Held, 2 slots)

Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse: When struck, all enemies within near must Save vs. WIL or lose their next action, believing themselves lashed.
  • Echo of Fear (1×/day): Continuous drumming forces all creatures within far to Save vs. WIL. On a failure, they become frightened, fleeing or cowering for 1d6 rounds.
  • Rallying Rhythm: Allies who can hear the drum gain advantage on their next attack or defense roll while the beat continues.

Drawbacks:

  • Each time the drum is used in a scene, the wielder must Save vs. WIL. On a failure, they gain the condition Shaken until they rest.
  • If played more than once per day, the wielder suffers disadvantage on WIL saves until they complete a full rest.

Fate Core

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977

Aspect: A War-Drum Whose Beat is a Psychic Lash

Invoke For: Driving fear into enemies, disrupting enemy cohesion, bolstering allies through dread cadence.
Compel For: The rhythm seeps into the drummer’s dreams, causing sleepless nights, paranoia, and an obsessive urge to play.

Stunt:

  • Pulse of Fear: Once per scene, when you beat the drum, you may force all nearby foes to Defend against your Provoke with Will. On a success with style, you may place the Aspect Shaken by the Rhythm on them.

Drawback: Whenever you use the drum, immediately gain the temporary aspect Endless March which can be compelled until the next rest.


Numenera & Cypher System

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Level: 5 Artifact (held, 2-handed)

Form: A war-drum made of hardened chitin stretched with fungal fibers, glowing purple when struck.

Effect:

  • Psychic Pulse: When beaten, creatures in immediate range must succeed on an Intellect defense roll (Difficulty 4) or lose their next action, believing themselves whipped.
  • Echo of Fear (1/day): By drumming steadily for 1 round, all creatures within short range must make an Intellect defense roll (Difficulty 5). Those who fail are frightened for 1d6 rounds.
  • Rallying Rhythm: Allies within short range gain one asset on Might or Speed defense tasks while the drum is played.

Drawback: After three activations in one day, the user must succeed on an Intellect defense roll (Difficulty 3) or suffer 3 points of Intellect damage and become haunted by lash-dreams until the next recovery roll.

Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (the fungal fibers tear and lose resonance).


Pathfinder 2e

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Consumable, Magical, Rare, Cursed

Usage: Held, 2 hands; Bulk 1
Activate: [one action] Strike the drum
Price: 450 gp

Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse (2/day): All hostile creatures within 20 feet must attempt a DC 19 Will save. On failure, they are stunned 1 and take 2d6 mental damage. Critical failure: stunned 2 and fall prone.
  • Echo of Fear (1/day): By drumming for 2 consecutive rounds, you cast fear (2nd level; DC 19) centered on yourself.
  • Marching Rhythm: Allies within 30 feet gain a +1 status bonus on saving throws against fear effects while the drum is played.

Curse: After use, attempt a DC 17 Will save. On a failure, you gain the fatigued condition until you rest, and are plagued by lash-dreams.


Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Type: Magical Relic (Instrument)
Weight: 6 lbs
Cost: 3,000 credits (black market)

Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse (2/encounter): As an action, beat the drum. All enemies within a Medium Burst Template must make a Spirit roll (–2). On a failure, they are Shaken. On a critical failure, they also take 2d6 Psychic Damage.
  • Echo of Fear (1/encounter): Beat a prolonged rhythm. All enemies within a Large Burst Template must make a Spirit roll. On failure, they gain the Frightened condition for 1d4 rounds.
  • Marching Cadence: Allies within a Medium Burst Template gain +1 to Spirit rolls versus fear while the drum plays.

Drawback: After the encounter, roll Spirit (–2). On a failure, the wielder suffers one level of Fatigue as lash-dreams disturb their rest.


Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Category: Arcane/Alchemical Focus (Musical Instrument, Restricted)
Availability: 14F
Cost: 8,000¥ on the black market

Game Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse: Complex Action; roll Performance + Magic (threshold 3). All enemies within 10 meters resist with Willpower + Logic. On failure, they suffer –2 dice pool to their next action, believing themselves whipped.
  • Echo of Fear (1/scene): Continuous drumming for one round. Enemies within 20 meters make a Willpower (3) test or suffer the Frightened status for 1d6 Combat Turns.
  • Marching Rhythm: Allies within 10 meters gain +1 dice pool to Leadership or Intimidation tests while the drum is played.

Drawbacks:

  • Each use requires a Drain Resistance test (Willpower + Charisma, DV 2). On failure, the user suffers 2 Stun damage.
  • If used more than twice in a day, the user must roll Composure (2). On failure, they gain the negative quality Insomnia for 1 day.

Starfinder

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Level: 8
Price: 4,600 credits
Bulk: 1
Type: Magic Item (Held, Instrument)
Traits: Enchantment, Auditory, Curse

Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse (2/day): As a standard action, strike the drum. All hostile creatures within 20 feet must attempt a Will save DC 18. On failure, they take 3d6 mental damage and are shaken for 1 round.
  • Echo of Fear (1/day): By drumming for 1 full round, you can cast fear as a 2nd-level spell (Will DC 18).
  • Marching Cadence: While the drum is beaten, allies within 30 feet gain a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against fear.

Curse: After activation, attempt a Will save DC 17. On failure, you gain the fatigued condition for 1 hour, haunted by lash-dreams.


Traveller (Mongoose 2e)

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Type: Artifact Relic (Instrument)
Weight: 2 kg
Cost: 20,000 Cr (contraband)

Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse: As an action, beat the drum. All creatures within 6 meters must roll WIL 8+. On failure, they lose their next minor action, believing themselves struck.
  • Echo of Fear (1/day): Continuous drumming forces all creatures within 12 meters to roll WIL 10+. On failure, they flee or cower for 1D3 rounds.
  • Rallying Rhythm: Allies in range gain DM+1 on Leadership and Persuade checks during combat.

Drawback: After each session of use, roll INT 8+. Failure inflicts DM–1 on all SOC rolls for the remainder of the day as nightmares and fatigue set in.


Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Item Name: Carapace Drum of the Lashcap 977
Type: Rare Magical Instrument (Cursed)
Encumbrance: 1
Value: 45 Gold Crowns (black market only)

Effects:

  • Psychic Pulse: Strike the drum as a Half Action. All enemies within 20 yards must make a Challenging (+0) Cool Test. On failure, they gain the Stunned condition for 1 round.
  • Echo of Fear (1/session): By drumming for one full round, you may force all enemies within 30 yards to make a Hard (–20) Cool Test. On failure, they gain the Broken condition for 1d5 rounds.
  • Marching Rhythm: Allies who hear the drum gain +10 to Cool Tests against fear effects while it is played.

Curse: After any use, the drummer must make an Average (+20) Willpower Test. On failure, they gain 1 Corruption Point and suffer one level of Fatigue until they rest.